1. Related Field
The present invention relates to a hold-down harpoon device according to the preamble of claim 1.
The invention can be applied in aircraft industry, for UAV manufacture, or helicopter manufacture et., but is not limited to these.
2. Description of Related Art
Aerial vehicles, such as remotely piloted aircrafts and helicopters, or so called unmanned aerial vehicles UAV, or manned VTOL aircrafts or helicopters etc., are for certain applications equipped with capturing and/or securing devices for securing the vehicle to a platform grid.
Efforts have been made to improve known devices. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,540 shows a device having a probe with engagement wings for securing the aircraft to a landing platform mesh, wherein the wings engage the mesh. The probe has a sufficient length to pass through the aperture of the mesh or grid, so that the wings can engage the mesh. In GB 923 864 is disclosed an aircraft ground handling device for securing an aircraft to a platform by means of a harpoon device.
It is desirable to provide an aerial vehicle with an undercarriage and a harpoon device, which harpoon device and undercarriage are not bulky for providing sufficient space under the aerial vehicle to be occupied by various equipments, such as antennas, weapons etc.
It is also desirable to provide an integrated undercarriage and harpoon device, which has as low weight as possible and which does not comprise superfluous operating mechanisms.
An object is to design an undercarriage and harpoon device of an aerial vehicle, which harpoon device provides for a secure landing in case of emergency and energy supply failure of the aerial vehicle.
A further object is also to eliminate drawbacks of known techniques, develop them and improve the prior art harpoon devices for aerial vehicles.